An Act to repeal 50.01 (1b), 77.54 (14) (f) 3., 118.2925 (1) (b), 118.294 (1) (a), 146.89 (1) (r) 8., 252.01 (1c), 440.03 (13) (b) 3., 440.03 (13) (b) 42., 440.08 (2) (a) 4m., 440.08 (2) (a) 50., 441.11 (title), 441.11 (1), 441.11 (3), 441.15, 441.16, 441.19, 448.035 (1) (a), 450.01 (1m) and 655.001 (9); to renumber 655.001 (1); to renumber and amend 146.89 (1) (r) 3., 253.13 (1), 255.06 (1) (d), 441.06 (7) and 441.11 (2); to amend 29.193 (1m) (a) 2. (intro.), 29.193 (2) (b) 2., 29.193 (2) (c) 3., 29.193 (2) (cd) 2. b., 29.193 (2) (cd) 2. c., 29.193 (2) (e), 29.193 (3) (a), 45.40 (1g) (a), 46.03 (44), 50.08 (2), 50.09 (1) (a) (intro.), 50.09 (1) (f) 1., 50.09 (1) (h), 50.09 (1) (k), 50.49 (1) (b) (intro.), 51.41 (1d) (b) 4., 70.47 (8) (intro.), 77.54 (14) (f) 4., 97.59, 106.30 (1), 118.15 (3) (a), 118.25 (1) (a), 118.29 (1) (e), 118.2915 (2) (a), 118.2915 (3) (a), 118.2915 (4) (c), 118.2915 (6) (a) (intro.), 118.2915 (6) (a) 2., 118.2915 (6) (a) 3., 118.2925 (3), 118.2925 (4) (c), 118.2925 (5), 118.294 (1) (am), 118.294 (2), 118.294 (4) (a), 146.615 (1) (a), 146.82 (3) (a), 146.89 (1) (r) 1., 146.89 (6), 154.01 (1g), 252.07 (8) (a) 2., 252.07 (9) (c), 252.10 (7), 252.11 (2), 252.11 (4), 252.11 (5), 252.11 (7), 252.11 (10), 252.15 (3m) (d) 11. b. and 13., (5g) (c), (5m) (d) 2. and (e) 2. and 3. and (7m) (intro.) and (b), 252.16 (3) (c) (intro.), 252.17 (3) (c) (intro.), 253.07 (4) (d), 253.115 (4), 253.115 (7) (a) (intro.), 253.15 (2), 255.06 (2) (d), 255.07 (1) (d), 257.01 (5) (a), 257.01 (5) (b), 341.14 (1a), 341.14 (1e) (a), 341.14 (1m), 341.14 (1q), 343.16 (5) (a), 343.51 (1), 343.62 (4) (a) 4., 440.077 (1) (a), 440.077 (2) (c), 440.094 (1) (c) 1., 440.094 (2) (a) (intro.), 440.981 (1), 440.982 (1), 440.987 (2), 441.01 (3), 441.01 (4), 441.01 (7) (a) (intro.), 441.01 (7) (b), 441.06 (3), 441.06 (4), 441.07 (1g) (intro.), (a), (c) and (e), 441.07 (2), 441.10 (7), 441.18 (2) (a) (intro.), 441.18 (2) (b), 441.18 (3), 448.03 (2) (a), 448.035 (2) to (4), 448.56 (1) and (1m) (b), 448.62 (2m), 448.67 (2), 448.956 (1m), 450.01 (16) (h) 2., 450.01 (16) (hr) 2., 450.03 (1) (e), 450.11 (1g) (b), 450.11 (1i) (a) 1., 450.11 (1i) (b) 2. b., 450.11 (7) (b), 450.11 (8) (e), 450.13 (5) (b), 450.135 (7) (b), 462.04, 655.001 (7t), 655.002 (1) (a), 655.002 (1) (b), 655.002 (1) (c), 655.002 (1) (d), 655.002 (1) (e), 655.002 (1) (em), 655.002 (2) (a), 655.002 (2) (b), 655.003 (1), 655.003 (3), 655.005 (2) (a), 655.005 (2) (b), 655.23 (5m), 655.27 (3) (a) 4., 655.27 (3) (b) 2m., 655.275 (2), 655.275 (5) (b) 2., 895.478 (3m), 961.01 (19) (a) and 961.395; to repeal and recreate 118.2915 (1) (a), 155.01 (1g) (b), 251.01 (1c) and 441.06 (title); to create 253.115 (1) (f), 253.13 (1) (a), 253.15 (1) (em), 255.06 (1) (f) 2., 440.03 (13) (b) 39m., 440.08 (2) (a) 47r., 441.001 (1c), 441.001 (3c), 441.001 (3g), 441.001 (3n), 441.001 (3r), 441.001 (3w), 441.001 (5), 441.01 (7) (c), 441.065, 441.07 (1r), 441.09, 441.092 and 655.001 (1g) of the statutes; Relating to: advanced practice registered nurses, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority. (FE)
Sponsored By: Deb Andraca (Democratic), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Brienne Brown (Democratic), Angelina Cruz (Democratic), Ben DeSmidt (Democratic), Jodi Emerson (Democratic), Rick Gundrum (Republican), Alex Joers (Democratic), Rob Kreibich (Republican), Tony Kurtz (Republican), Dave Maxey (Republican), David Murphy (Republican), Jerry O'Connor (Republican), Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (Democratic), Priscilla Prado (Democratic), Jessie Rodriguez (Republican), John Spiros (Republican), Shelia Stubbs (Democratic), Lisa Subeck (Democratic), Ron Tusler (Republican), Randy Udell (Democratic), Chuck Wichgers (Republican)
Signed by Governor
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31 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 2 costs, 15 mixed.
Nurses expand sexual infection treatment options
Authorized advanced practice nurses can provide partner treatment for patients with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis. The sexual contact must have allowed the infection to pass between the patient and partner. Nurses must try to obtain the partner's name; prescriptions need known names and addresses, or an EPT notation when names cannot be obtained. Nurses must give patients the state information sheet and ask them to pass it to partners. Civil immunity covers qualifying treatment, except reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct. The state laboratory can also test sexually transmitted disease samples for these nurses, and laboratories identify them in positive-result reports.
Nurses face stricter titles and penalties
Practicing as an advanced nurse or using that title requires a license, subject to the law's emergency and transition exceptions. Specialty titles require the matching designation, subject to the stated emergency exception. Nursing license holders need legal or credential authority for other titles; doctorate holders using “doctor” must identify their field. Degree holders can identify their bachelor's or master's degree or field. Nursing-title violations bring a warning first, suspension second, and revocation third, without access to the general one-year reinstatement rule. The board can also discipline authorized prescribers for prescription-law violations.
Advanced nurses gain limited prescribing authority
The law replaces separate nursing prescription certificates with prescribing authority through advanced practice nurse licenses. Existing certificate holders receive licenses with matching specialties through the transition. Board rules can restrict drugs or devices, and a license marked as nonprescribing bars prescription orders. Transition nurses who lacked a prescription certificate on January 1, 2026, cannot prescribe under that transition license.
Advanced nurses get separate Wisconsin licenses
The law creates advanced practice registered nurse licenses for nurse-midwives, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners. Applicants need a qualifying nursing license, approved graduate or postgraduate training, national certification, malpractice coverage, and payment of licensing fees. A transition path covers qualifying Wisconsin nurses practicing in a recognized role on January 1, 2026. The Board of Nursing can set training-school standards and must list schools that apply and prove they qualify. The main changes take effect on the first day of the 13th month after publication.
Advanced nurses need malpractice coverage
All advanced nurses must continuously maintain malpractice coverage, either personally or through individual coverage under a group policy. Coverage must meet statutory amounts used for physicians and nurse anesthetists. Independently qualified nurses working outside collaborative or employment relationships must also participate in the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund. The covered-provider category requires Wisconsin as their main practice location and more than 240 Wisconsin practice hours per fiscal year. The supplied provisions do not state coverage amounts or fund fees.
Experienced nurses gain independent practice options
Advanced nurses generally must collaborate with a physician or dentist unless the Board of Nursing verifies their independent-practice qualifications. They need 3,840 clinical nursing hours and 3,840 hours in their advanced role, each spanning at least 24 months. During the advanced-role hours, a collaborating physician or dentist must be immediately available and accept responsibility for their actions. Extra collaborative advanced-practice hours can count toward the clinical nursing requirement; certified nurse-midwives are exempt from the general collaboration rule. Invasive pain treatment requires a pain-specialist physician's collaboration, unless an independently qualified nurse uses a hospital, hospital-associated clinic, or authorizing hospital privileges.
Nurse-midwives gain simpler licensing, birth safeguards
Existing nurse-midwife license holders automatically receive advanced practice nurse licenses with the certified nurse-midwife specialty. That specialty requires current American Midwifery Certification Board certification. These nurses can practice midwifery and use the licensed-midwife title without a separate midwifery license. The law removes prior nurse-midwife-specific practice requirements, including specified obstetrician requirements. For out-of-hospital births, nurse-midwives must obtain and maintain board approval of a plan for hospital or physician coordination and care transfers.
Advanced nurses certify parking and driving
Licensed advanced nurses can provide specified disabled-parking tests, evaluations, and reports. Nurses licensed in any state can certify walking-limiting disabilities for covered parking cards and plates; card statements identify temporary or permanent disabilities. Plate certification is submitted every four years, and plates still cost no more than the standard vehicle registration fee. A driver seeking plates to transport someone else must regularly transport a person who depends on that driver. Wisconsin-licensed advanced nurses can provide driver-exam reports; nurses licensed in any state can certify physical fitness to teach driving.
Advanced nurses handle more long-term care
Advanced nurses gain recognized roles in nursing-home care and resident-rights records. Authorized prescribers are included in boxed-warning notices for specified psychiatric drugs prescribed to residents with degenerative brain disorders. Nurses can also handle resident communications, medical exceptions, and restraint authorization and records, with existing protections unchanged. Advanced nurses can establish and periodically review home health care plans.
Nurses can provide health department certifications
People submitting certifications under Wisconsin laws 252.16(3) or 252.17(3) can obtain them from advanced practice registered nurses. Physicians and physician assistants remain eligible to provide these certifications. Each certification must address the matters required by the applicable law.
Nurse letters unlock telephone assessment hearings
Ill or disabled property owners can use a Wisconsin-licensed advanced practice nurse's letter to qualify for telephone assessment hearings. The letter must confirm the owner's illness or disability. Physician and physician assistant letters remain alternatives. This changes access to local board-of-review hearings, not property-tax amounts.
Families can use nurse school excuses
School attendance officers can accept requested medical proof from advanced practice nurses or qualifying registered nurses. The child must be temporarily unable to attend because of a physical or mental condition. The child must be expected to return when the condition improves or ends. A written excuse is valid for no more than 30 days.
Nurses gain protection for driving decisions
Wisconsin-licensed advanced practice nurses have civil immunity for good-faith reports to the transportation department about conditions affecting vehicle control. Protection also covers good-faith decisions not to report when the nurse judges that the condition does not impair vehicle control. This provision does not require nurses to report.
Nurse anesthetists gain a practice exemption
Licensed advanced nurses with the certified registered nurse anesthetist specialty are exempt from a specified medical-practice restriction. The exemption also covers nurse anesthetists performing official duties for the U.S. armed services or federal health services.
Nurse care teams gain delegation safeguards
Advanced practice registered nurses can delegate tasks or orders to clinically trained health workers. The work must fit the nurse's scope, and the nurse must be competent to perform or order it. The nurse needs reasonable evidence that the worker is at least minimally competent for that situation. When patient needs exceed the nurse's expertise, the nurse must follow professional standards and seek help or refer as needed. The other provider must be authorized to address those needs.
Nurses support school emergency medicine access
Advanced practice nurses with prescribing authority can approve school asthma plans and provide emergency medicine orders and protocols. Covered medicines include bronchodilators, epinephrine, and undesignated glucagon. School staff can administer them through the required school plans and protocols. Schools must report epinephrine given without a known prescription to 911 or an emergency service as soon as practicable. Civil immunity covers protected participants, but not injuries caused by gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
Patients gain nurse tuberculosis medicine access
Advanced practice nurses with prescribing authority can dispense tuberculosis drugs purchased by the state health department. The drugs must be needed to treat Mycobacterium tuberculosis and funded through the specified public-health appropriation. This adds nurses to existing dispensing channels, including health departments, public-health dispensaries, and physicians.
Rural nurse training qualifies for reimbursement
The state provides up to $25,000 per fiscal year for specialized training of qualifying women's health nurse clinicians. Eligible clinicians include qualifying registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. Training covers rural colposcopy examinations and follow-up activities for cervical cancer treatment. The limit applies to the whole program, not each clinician, and patients do not receive this money.
Volunteer nurses get malpractice insurance relief
Advanced practice registered nurses qualify as volunteer health care providers under Wisconsin law. While serving in that role, they do not need malpractice insurance and satisfy applicable statutory coverage requirements. Certain registered nurses with multistate licenses also qualify when providing delegated medical services under a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or advanced practice nurse.
Employment grants include minority advanced practice nurses
The existing $31,500 annual grant allocation can support community employment of licensed advanced practice nurses who are racial minorities. Specified registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and physician assistants also remain covered. The amount is the total yearly program allocation, not a payment to each worker or household.
Food handlers pay for required exams
Local health officers or state agriculture department officers can designate an advanced nurse to examine food handlers during an investigation. This also covers people suspected of handling food. The person examined pays any examination expense; the law does not set a fee.
Nurses can report unsafe driving conditions
Wisconsin-licensed advanced nurses can report a patient's name and relevant health information to the state transportation department without informed consent. The nurse must judge that a physical or mental condition affects the patient's ability to control a vehicle safely. This gives the department another source of driver-safety information while allowing disclosure without the patient's permission.
Advanced nurses expand overdose medicine access
Advanced nurses with prescribing authority can prescribe or deliver opioid-overdose reversal medicine. They must ensure recipients have or can provide safe-use knowledge and training, including for people receiving the medicine onward. Pharmacists can deliver the medicine through these nurses' prescriptions or standing orders and must provide consultation. Nurses acting lawfully and in good faith gain protection from criminal and civil liability and professional discipline for resulting outcomes.
Advanced nurses expand partner infection treatment
Advanced nurses with prescribing authority can provide expedited partner therapy for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. Prescriptions identify partners when known or use “EPT” when their details are unknown. Required information sheets explain treatment, drug allergies, and whom to contact with questions. Pharmacists can fill these prescriptions and must provide consultation, ask about allergies, and advise stopping the drug after an allergic reaction. Nurses have civil-liability protection except for reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct.
Advanced nurses expand referrals and imaging
Advanced nurses can provide written physical therapy referrals, and the examining board must set care-continuity rules for therapists receiving them. Their written referrals also qualify for specified athletic training in outpatient rehabilitation. Nurses can provide nonsurgical services under a podiatrist's direction, supervision, and inspection. Wisconsin-licensed advanced nurses can order diagnostic X-rays for people.
Advanced nurses handle HIV exposure disclosures
Advanced nurses can make written findings of significant HIV exposure based on information provided to them. They can participate in specified testing and disclosures, including disclosures involving deceased people with positive HIV tests. Reporting a significantly exposed person to the state epidemiologist requires a positive, validated test and prior notice to the person tested. Nurses cannot certify their own exposure where the law bars self-certification.
Advanced nurses join disease-control proceedings
Advanced nurses can provide court statements that a person has infectious or suspected tuberculosis. A treating nurse can concur when health officials find treatment complete or the person no longer a substantial threat, ending confinement. Nurses also join examination, treatment, observation, reporting, and testimony procedures for reported or reasonably suspected sexually transmitted diseases. They can judge when infection is no longer contagious. They must report stopping or refusing treatment before that stage in the cases covered by the law.
Advanced nurses face new renewal requirements
Advanced practice nurse licenses renew on March 1 of each even-numbered year. Nurses must complete at least 16 contact hours every two years in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics related to their work. They must also complete the nursing workforce survey to the Board of Nursing's satisfaction. Renewing the advanced practice license also renews the registered nurse license. A single fee may cover renewal of both licenses.
Nurses face requirements but share renewal fees
Wisconsin advanced practice registered nurses must complete at least 16 hours of relevant pharmacology or therapeutics education every two years. They must keep malpractice insurance at the required statutory coverage levels. Proof is required at initial licensing, renewal, and whenever the Board of Nursing requests it. Nurses renewing both registered nurse and advanced practice licenses pay only one renewal fee.
Advanced nurses can lead more teamwork
Advanced nurses can delegate tasks or orders to clinically trained health care workers. The task must be within the nurse's scope, and the nurse must be competent to perform or order it. The nurse must have reasonable evidence that the worker has the minimum competence needed. Advanced nurses can also supervise military medical personnel in the designated state program. The supervising nurse remains responsible for the patient's care.
Midwife births require plans and newborn checks
Certified nurse-midwives with advanced practice licenses need board-approved care plans before offering births outside hospitals. They must keep plans current and follow them when care needs exceed their scope, including hospital or physician coordination. Birth-attending midwives must ensure hearing screening before hospital discharge, or within 30 days after births outside hospitals. Required congenital and metabolic testing is due before discharge from hospitals or maternity homes, or within one week elsewhere. These midwives also receive access to required shaken-baby information materials.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Deb Andraca
Democratic • House
Elijah Behnke
Republican • House
Brienne Brown
Democratic • House
Angelina Cruz
Democratic • House
Ben DeSmidt
Democratic • House
Jodi Emerson
Democratic • House
Rick Gundrum
Republican • House
Alex Joers
Democratic • House
Rob Kreibich
Republican • House
Tony Kurtz
Republican • House
Dave Maxey
Republican • House
David Murphy
Republican • House
Jerry O'Connor
Republican • House
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
Democratic • House
Priscilla Prado
Democratic • House
Jessie Rodriguez
Republican • House
John Spiros
Republican • House
Shelia Stubbs
Democratic • House
Lisa Subeck
Democratic • House
Ron Tusler
Republican • House
Randy Udell
Democratic • House
Chuck Wichgers
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Rachael Cabral-Guevara
Republican • Senate
Tim Carpenter
Democratic • Senate
Ryan Clancy
Democratic • House
Kristin Dassler-Alfheim
Democratic • Senate
Jodi Habush Sinykin
Democratic • Senate
Dianne Hesselbein
Democratic • Senate
Jenna Jacobson
Democratic • House
André Jacque
Republican • Senate
Sarah Keyeski
Democratic • Senate
Joel Kitchens
Republican • House
Devin LeMahieu
Republican • Senate
Darrin Madison
Democratic • House
Howard Marklein
Republican • Senate
Clint Moses
Republican • House
Romaine Quinn
Republican • Senate
Melissa Ratcliff
Democratic • Senate
Kelda Roys
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Smith
Democratic • Senate
Lee Snodgrass
Democratic • House
Mark Spreitzer
Democratic • Senate
Patrick Testin
Republican • Senate
Robyn Vining
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
9/9/2025HousePublished 8-9-2025
8/11/2025HouseReport approved by the Governor on 8-8-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 17
8/11/2025HousePresented to the Governor on 8-7-2025
8/7/2025HouseReport correctly enrolled on 6-23-2025
6/23/2025HouseFiscal estimate received
6/19/2025HouseReceived from Senate concurred in
6/19/2025HouseOrdered immediately messaged
6/18/2025SenateRead a third time and concurred in
6/18/2025SenateRules suspended to give bill its third reading
6/18/2025SenateOrdered to a third reading
6/18/2025SenateRead a second time
6/18/2025SenateRules suspended and taken up
6/18/2025SenateSenator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
6/18/2025SenateReceived from Assembly
6/18/2025SenateOrdered immediately messaged
6/18/2025HouseRead a third time and passed
6/18/2025HouseRules suspended
6/18/2025HouseOrdered to a third reading
6/18/2025HouseRead a second time
6/18/2025HouseWithdrawn from committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 6-18-2025
6/16/2025HouseReferred to committee on Rules
6/6/2025HouseReport passage recommended by Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care, Ayes 15, Noes 0
6/6/2025HouseFiscal estimate received
6/6/2025HouseExecutive action taken
6/4/2025House
Bill Text
Bill Text
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